Records of a Family of Engineers eBook

In reflecting upon the state of the matters at the
Bell Rock during the working months, when the writer
was much with the artificers, nothing can equal the
happy manner in which these excellent workmen spent
their time. They always went from Arbroath to
their arduous task cheering and they generally returned
in the same hearty state. While at the rock,
between the tides, they amused themselves in reading,
fishing, music, playing cards, draughts, etc.,
or in sporting with one another. In the workyard
at Arbroath the young men were almost, without exception,
employed in the evening at school, in writing and
arithmetic, and not a few were learning architectural
drawing, for which they had every convenience and
facility, and were, in a very obliging manner, assisted
in their studies by Mr. David Logan, clerk of the
works. It therefore affords the most pleasing
reflections to look back upon the pursuits of about
sixty individuals who for years conducted themselves,
on all occasions, in a sober and rational manner.

IV—­OPERATIONS OF 1810

[Thursday, 10th May]

The wind had shifted to-day to W.N.W., when the writer,
with considerable difficulty, was enabled to land
upon the rock for the first time this season, at ten
a.m. Upon examining the state of the building,
and apparatus in general, he had the satisfaction to
find everything in good order. The mortar in
all the joints was perfectly entire. The building,
now thirty feet in height, was thickly coated with
fuci to the height of about fifteen feet, calculating
from the rock: on the eastern side, indeed, the
growth of seaweed was observable to the full height
of thirty feet, and even on the top or upper bed of
the last-laid course, especially towards the eastern
side, it had germinated, so as to render walking upon
it somewhat difficult.

The beacon-house was in a perfectly sound state, and
apparently just as it had been left in the month of
November. But the tides being neap, the lower
parts, particularly where the beams rested on the
rock, could not now be seen. The floor of the
mortar gallery having been already laid down by Mr.
Watt and his men on a former visit, was merely soaked
with the sprays; but the joisting-beams which supported
it had, in the course of the winter, been covered
with a fine downy conferva produced by the range of
the sea. They were also a good deal whitened
with the mute of the cormorant and other sea-fowls,
which had roosted upon the beacon in winter.
Upon ascending to the apartments, it was found that
the motion of the sea had thrown open the door of
the cook-house: this was only shut with a single
latch, that in case of shipwreck at the Bell Rock the
mariner might find ready access to the shelter of this
forlorn habitation, where a supply of provisions was
kept; and being within two miles and a half of the
floating light, a signal could readily be observed,